Enclosure for a cable connection

ABSTRACT

The present invention is directed to an enclosure for protecting a cable connection. The enclosure includes a sealing member contained within an inner shell. The sealing member is secured around the cable connection by slideably engaging a rigid outer shell over the inner shell. The outer shell has an opening extending along its entire length on one side to permit clearance and insertion of a connected cable to be inserted into the outer shell.

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No.14/489,637, filed Sep. 18, 2014, now allowed, which is a continuation ofU.S. patent application Ser. No. 13/228,982, filed Sep. 9, 2011, nowU.S. Pat. No. 8,841,553, which claims the benefit of U.S. ProvisionalPatent Application No. 61/394,503, filed Oct. 19, 2010; U.S. ProvisionalPatent Application No. 61/483,207, filed May 6, 2011; and U.S.Provisional Patent Application No. 61/497,718, filed Jun. 16, 2011. Thedisclosures of each of the aforementioned Applications are incorporatedby reference herein in their entirety.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to an enclosure to protect a connectionbetween two cables, or the connection between a cable and a housing. Inparticular, the present invention relates to an enclosure having asealing member contained within an inner shell wherein the sealingmember is secured around the cable connection by engaging a rigid outershell over the inner shell to ensure a reliable environmental seal forthe cable connection.

BACKGROUND

Telecommunication cables are ubiquitous and used for distributing allmanner of data across vast networks. As telecommunication cables arerouted across data networks, it is necessary to periodically connect thecable to other cables or equipment.

At each point where a cable connection is made, it may be necessary toprovide protection for the cable connection and to protect the cableinterfaces from environmental contaminants. This can be accomplished bywrapping the cable connection in a tape or mastic and/or placing thecable connection in a protective enclosure. Commonly, the enclosure hasone or more ports through which cables can enter and/or exit theenclosure. Once the cables are routed into the enclosure, the cableconnections can be made.

Typical enclosures for the telecommunications market provide mechanicaland/or environmental protection for cable connections. The cable can,for example, be a telecommunications cable, a power cable, an opticalfiber cable, coaxial cable, or any other type of cable. The cableconnection can be made via a conventional splice or a connector and mayrequire protection from the effects of the environment in which it islocated and, more particularly, benefits from protection againstmechanical impact and the entry of moisture, dirt, salt, acid rain, orother environmental contaminants.

Many different types of enclosures providing different levels ofprotection for cable splices are commercially available, includingso-called re-enterable enclosures that can be re-opened to permit accessto the splice whenever required. These conventional telecommunicationenclosures are often employed to protect a plurality of twisted paircopper splices and/or fiber optic connections in the outside planttelecommunications market. These closures can be relatively large andbulky and are not well suited to applications requiring a single closureto protect a single connection point between two or more communicationcables, between a cable and a housing (e.g. a cabinet, a bulkhead, alarger enclosure or housing for a piece of equipment) or between a cableand a piece of equipment, especially when the cable connections aredensely placed or ganged connections such as one might find in celltower installations. Thus, a need exists for a smaller, more craftfriendly enclosure which will fit in tight spaces and which has improvedworkability in the field.

SUMMARY

The present invention is directed to an enclosure for protecting a cableconnection. The enclosure includes a sealing member contained within aninner shell. The sealing member is secured around the cable connectionby slideably engaging a rigid outer shell over the inner shell. Theouter shell has an opening extending along its entire length on one sideto permit clearance and insertion of a connected cable to be insertedinto the outer shell.

In an exemplary aspect, the inner shell has an external topographydefining an inner shell profile and wherein the outer shell has aninternal topography defining an outer shell profile such that the outershell profile is similar to the inner shell profile. In one exemplaryembodiment, the inner shell has a tapered inner shell profile having afirst diameter at a first end of the inner shell and a second largerdiameter at the second end of the inner shell.

In another aspect, the inner shell can include two shell portions thatenclose a cable connection when the two shell portions are assembledtogether. In an exemplary aspect the shell portions can be connected bya hinge along one longitudinal edge of each shell portion.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The present invention will be further described with reference to theaccompanying drawings wherein like reference numerals refer to likeparts in the several views, and wherein:

FIG. 1A is an exploded isometric view of an exemplary enclosureaccording to an embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 1B is an isometric view of an assembled enclosure according to anembodiment of the present invention;

FIGS. 2A and 2B are two isometric views of an inner shell for theexemplary enclosure of FIGS. 1A and 1B;

FIGS. 3A and 3B are two isometric views of an outer shell for theexemplary enclosure of FIGS. 1A and 1B;

FIG. 4A is an isometric view of an alternative exemplary enclosureaccording to an embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 4B is an exploded isometric view of an assembled enclosure of FIG.4A;

FIG. 4C is a top view of an assembled enclosure of FIG. 4A;

FIG. 4D is a cross sectional view of an assembled enclosure of FIG. 4A;

FIGS. 5A-5C illustrate an exemplary assembly method of an exemplaryenclosure according to an embodiment of the present invention;

FIGS. 6A-6E illustrate different ways of attaching the sealing member tothe inner shell according to the present invention;

FIG. 7 is an isometric view of another exemplary enclosure according toan embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 8 is an isometric view showing an alternative use of an exemplaryenclosure according to an embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 9 is an isometric end view of an equipment housing with a pluralityof cable connections that are protected by several additionalembodiments of exemplary enclosures according to an embodiment of thepresent invention;

FIG. 10 is an isometric view of yet another exemplary enclosureaccording to an embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 11 is an isometric view of an outer shell for the exemplaryenclosure of FIG. 10;

FIGS. 12A and 12B are two isometric views of an inner shell for theexemplary enclosure of FIG. 10;

FIGS. 13A and 13B are two schematic end views of the exemplary enclosureof FIG. 10;

FIG. 14 is an isometric view of another exemplary outer shell accordingto an embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 15 is an isometric view showing the outer shell of FIG. 14 grippinga cable to prevent slippage during installation;

FIG. 16 is an isometric view of another exemplary inner shell accordingto an embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 17 is an isometric view of an exemplary sealing member according toan embodiment of the present invention; and

FIGS. 18A and 18B are two views showing the assembly of an exemplaryenclosure using the sealing member of FIG. 17.

While the invention is amenable to various modifications and alternativeforms, specifics thereof have been shown by way of example in thedrawings and will be described in detail. It should be understood,however, that the intention is not to limit the invention to theparticular embodiments described. On the contrary, the intention is tocover all modifications, equivalents, and alternatives falling withinthe scope of the invention as defined by the appended claims.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

In the following Detailed Description, reference is made to theaccompanying drawings, which form a part hereof, and in which is shownby way of illustration specific embodiments in which the invention maybe practiced. In this regard, directional terminology, such as “top,”“bottom,” “front,” “back,” “leading,” “forward,” “trailing,” etc., isused with reference to the orientation of the Figure(s) being described.Because components of embodiments of the present invention can bepositioned in a number of different orientations, the directionalterminology is used for purposes of illustration and is in no waylimiting. It is to be understood that other embodiments may be utilizedand structural or logical changes may be made without departing from thescope of the present invention. The following detailed description,therefore, is not to be taken in a limiting sense, and the scope of thepresent invention is defined by the appended claims.

The present invention relates to an exemplary enclosure to protect aconnection between two or more cables, or a connection between a cableand a housing or piece of equipment. The exemplary enclosure can also beused to repair the sheath of a cable that has been damaged such as canoccur when utility crews are digging around or near buried cables. Inyet another aspect, the exemplary enclosure can be used to provideenvironmental protection at the point where a cable enters duct toprevent contaminants from entering the duct. In an alternative aspect,the exemplary enclosure can protect the junction between a cable and aground wire.

Many conventional connectors used in the telecommunication, cable TV andutility industries, even those having internal sealing members (i.e.O-rings), do not provide adequate environmental and/or mechanicalprotection for the cable connection by themselves. Without additionalexternal protection, water and other contaminants can penetrate thesystem and degrade the electrical or optical connection. To compensatefor this shortcoming in the connectors, system operators will frequentlyplace the cable connection in a molded enclosure or wrap the cableconnection with tapes and/or mastics to provide the necessaryenvironmental and mechanical protection.

However, in some applications, where it is desirable to individuallyprotect connections in confined spaces, such as in cellularinstallations, there can be too little space to accommodate conventionalmolded enclosures. In some instances operators utilize a process thatinvolves wrapping multiple alternating layers of tape and mastic aroundand over the connector and the adjacent cabling to provide a measure ofenvironmental protection for the connection. This wrapping process canbe a tedious, time consuming operation and its effectiveness isdependent on the skill of the installer. Additionally, when the wrapprocess is employed in aerial installations such as those that occurhigh up on cellular towers, the difficulty in properly using thesematerials is amplified and ultimately affects the safety of thetechnician. Finally, the tape/mastic wrapping must be cut away duringroutine inspection and maintenance operations and reapplied when theseoperations are complete, requiring additional time and expense.

Thus, what is needed is a new form of protective enclosure which can bequickly and easily applied in confined spaces, such as closely packedconnector arrays found on cellular tower antennas, to replace thecumbersome tape process or the more bulky molded plastic enclosures.

The small form factor enclosure 100, as described herein, is of simpleconstruction, and uses comparatively few components to enable easyassembly in the field, even at difficult or inaccessible locations.

Referring to FIGS. 1A and 1B, one embodiment of an exemplary enclosure100 for protecting a cable connection is illustrated in an exploded andassembled condition, respectively. Enclosure 100 includes three parts:an inner shell 120, an outer shell 140, and sealing member 110 which canbe disposed within the inner shell.

The inner shell 120 is effectively a holder for sealing member 110. Theinner shell includes “pressure points”, which will be described inadditional detail below, to ensure adequate sealing at key locationswhen the inner shell and sealing member are placed around a cableconnection.

The outer shell 140 can be placed over the inner shell to impart aradial compressive load to the inner shell. This radial load presses thesealing member into contact with the cable(s) and connector therebycreating an environmental seal. The outer shell can be a rigid memberthat includes an opening along the entire length of one side to permitclearance for the cable to be inserted into the outer shell. The outershell, when proper compression is achieved, can be locked in place witha securing device, such as latch arms 130 provided as an integral partof the inner shell. Advantageously, exemplary enclosure 100 can beopened to expose the cable connection for inspection or maintenance andthen reinstalled over the connection when the inspection or maintenanceis complete. For example, outer shell 140 can be removed from the innershell 120 by the deflection of the latch arms 130. Once the outer shellhas been removed, the inner shell can be opened and the sealing memberseparated to reveal the cable connection.

In an exemplary aspect, the outer shell can be tethered to the innershell to ensure that the outer shell can not be dropped while the innershell is installed around the cable connection. For example, theexemplary tether linking the outer shell to the inner shell can be astring, cord, or small diameter cable.

In an exemplary aspect shown in FIG. 2A, the inner shell 120 can includetwo shell portions 125 a, 125 b that can enclose a cable connection whenthe two shell portions are assembled together. The shell portions 125 a,125 b can be connected by a hinge 128 along a first longitudinal edge126 a, 126 b of each shell portion. Hinge 128 can be a living hinge orany other conventional low profile hinge structure such as a barrelhinge. Hinge 128 may extend along the entire first longitudinal edges ofshell portions, or may extend along only a portion of first longitudinaledges 126 a, 126 b of shell portions 125 a, 125 b, respectively as shownin FIG. 2A. The hinge allows the inner shell to be opened so that it canbe easily placed around the cable connection and then closed to enclosethe cable connection.

In another exemplary aspect, shell portions 125 a, 125 b can be twoseparate parts, each having a sealing member disposed across theirconcave surface. The two separate shell portions can be mated togetherand the outer shell portion can be slid over the mated shell portions tolock them together while simultaneously providing a radial forcecompressive load to the inner shell which will ensure that the sealingmember intimately contacts the cable(s) and connector thereby creatingan environmental seal.

As previously mentioned, the inner shell 120 is effectively a holder forsealing member 110. The sealing member can be attached to the innershell along the second two longitudinal edges 127 a, 127 b of the innershell. In the exemplary aspect shown in FIGS. 2A and 2B, flanges 129extend perpendicular to the second two longitudinal edges 127 a, 127 bof the inner shell. Sealing member 110 can be attached to the flange byan adhesive such 3M™ Adhesive Transfer Tape 9672 available from 3Mcompany (St. Paul, Minn.), a thermal weld, stitched, or by a mechanicalfastening system. Two exemplary mechanical fastening systems are shownin FIGS. 6A-6E.

FIGS. 6A-6C show how a “pine tree” fastener 138 can be used to attachsealing member 110 to the inner shell 120. The sealing member can eitherbe laid along one side of flange 129 (FIG. 6A) or folded over top of theflange and secured in place by passing the “pine tree” fastener 138though the sealing member and the flange 129 of the inner shell 120. Thebarbs on the shank of the “pine tree” fastener hold the “pine tree”fastener securely in place. The fasteners can be placed intermittentlyalong the longitudinal length of the flange. FIG. 6B shows the innershell in a closed configuration where the “pine tree” fasteners arealigned on the flanges 129. Alternatively, the “pine tree” fasteners 138could be staggered along the longitudinal length of the flanges so thatthey would not interfere with each other when the inner shell is closed.A similar technique can be used with other low profile mechanicalfasteners such as rivets.

FIGS. 6D and 6E show how a spring clip 139 can be used to attach sealingmember 110 to the inner shell 120. The sealing member can either be laidalong one side of flange 129 (FIG. 6A) or folded over top of the flangeand secured to the flange by placing the spring clip 139 over thesealing member and the flange 129 of the inner shell 120. The springclips can be placed intermittently along the longitudinal length of theflange or a longer continuous clip may extend most or all of the lengthof the flange.

Alternative attachment methods for the sealing member 110 to the innershell 120 include bonding, clamping, taping, stapling, and moldingin-place. In an alternative embodiment, the sealing member may bedirectly attached to the inner wall of the inner shell.

Inner shell 120 can include structural features that create “pressurepoints” at or near critical sealing locations. In FIG. 2A, thestructural features are in the form of pressure ridges 132, 134 disposedat the first end 122 and the second end 124, respectively, of innershell 120. Pressure ridges 132, 134 help ensure adequate sealing at keylocations around the perimeter of cables, device receptacles or housinginlets.

Inner shell 120 can have an external topography defining an inner shellprofile and wherein the outer shell has an internal topography definingan outer shell profile such that the outer shell profile is similar tothe inner shell profile. In a first exemplary embodiment shown in FIG.1A, the inner shell has a tapered inner shell profile having a firstdiameter, d, at a first end 122 of the inner shell and a second largerdiameter, D, at the second end 124 of the inner shell. The tapered innershell profile can have a first cylindrical portion at the first end ofthe inner shell, a second cylindrical portion at the second end of theinner shell which can be joined to one another by a frustrated conicalsection. In an alternative aspect, inner shell 120 can have acylindrical inner shell profile having substantially constant diameteralong the entire length of the inner shell. Alternatively, the innershell can have a continuously tapering inner shell profile, a bellshaped inner shell profile or other mechanical design so long as theclose fitting outer shell may be slid over the inner shell (i.e. thediameter at one end of the inner shell must be greater than or equal tothe diameter at the opposite end of the inner shell).

In the exemplary embodiment shown in FIG. 2B, the sealing member 110 canbe a sheet sealing member 112 including a gel sealant material 114coated on one of an elastomeric sheet and a volume compliant sheet. Inan alternative aspect the sealing member can be an unsupported gelsealant material which can be directly disposed against the inner wallof the inner shell in a sufficient thickness to fill any air gaps aroundthe cable connection being protected by the enclosure. In yet anotheraspect the unsupported gel material can be provided around the perimeterof the inner shell to provide an environmental barrier at these criticallocations.

Advantageously, the sheet sealing member 112 can provide mechanicalintegrity to sealing member 110. The sheet sealing member can be used toattach to the housing and act as a support for the softer gel sealantmaterial 114 that forms the seal at the cable/connector/inlet surface.The sheet sealing member can be a fabric (either woven or non-woven), anelastomeric sheet including a rubber sheet or a plastic film, a volumecompliant sheet such as a closed cell and/or open cell foam sheet, or acombination thereof (e.g. a fabric backing on a rubber sheet forinstance). The sheet sealing member should be a material which iscompatible with the gel sealant material used in the sealing member.Exemplary materials for the sheet sealing member include neoprene,polyurethanes, silicones, as well as crosslinked polymer materials. Anexemplary sheet sealing member can be a closed cell neoprene foam havinga nylon fabric face on one side that is available as item number201400BN from Perfectex plus LLC (Huntington Beach, Calif.).

The gel sealant material provides a physical barrier to the entry ofenvironmental contaminants to the regions being protected by the gelmaterial. Typical gel sealant materials can include oil swollen,cross-linked polymer networks. The cross-links can be either due tophysical association or chemicals bonds formed between the polymerchains within the network. Exemplary oil swollen gel materials caninclude oil-filled thermoplastic elastomeric rubbers (e.g.styrene/rubber/styrene block copolymers), room-temperaturevulcanization, (RTV) and thermoset compositions, (e.g. silicones, epoxy,urethane/isocyanates, esters, styrene-butadiene rubber (SBR), ethylenepropylene diene monomer (EPDM) rubber, nitrile and butyl rubbers, etc.),and radiation cured materials including e-beam and UV/Vis radiationsensitive formulations.

One exemplary gel sealant material can comprise 70 to 95 parts by weightof mineral oil dispersed in 5 to 30 parts by weight of thermoplasticelastomer.

The term mineral oil, as used herein, refers to any of various lighthydrocarbon oils, especially distillates of petroleum. Typically, themineral oil is a white mineral oil although other mineral oils may beused. White mineral oils are generally colorless, odorless or nearlyodorless, and tasteless mixtures of saturated paraffinic and naphthenichydrocarbons that span a viscosity range of 50-650 Saybolt UniversalSeconds (5 to 132 centistokes) at 100° F. (38° C.). Nearly chemicallyinert, white mineral oils are essentially free of nitrogen, sulfur,oxygen and aromatic hydrocarbons. Exemplary mineral oils include KAYDOLoil available from Crompton Corporation (Middlebury, Conn.), DuoPrime350 and DuoPrime 500 available from Citgo Petroleum Corporation(Houston, Tex.), Crystal Plus 200T and Crystal Plus 500T available fromSTE Oil Company, Inc. (San Marcos, Tex.). Typically, 70 to 95 parts byweight of mineral oil, or even more typically 85 to 93 parts by weightof mineral oil are used in combination with 7 to 15 parts by weight ofthe at least one thermoplastic elastomer.

In an alternative embodiment, the mineral oil can be replaced fully orin part by another petroleum based oil, a vegetable oil, or a modifiedversion of either of these two oil types.

Suitable thermoplastic elastomers for use in sealant material includestyrene-rubber-styrene (SRS) triblock copolymers, styrene-rubber (SR)diblock copolymers, styrene-rubber-styrene (SRS) Star copolymers andmixtures thereof. Exemplary styrene-rubber-styrene triblock copolymersinclude styrene-butadiene-styrene (SBS), styrene-isoprene-styrene (SIS),and partially or completely hydrogenated derivatives thereof, such asstyrene-ethylene/butylene-styrene (SEBS),styrene-ethylene/propylene-styrene (SEPS),styrene-ethylene/ethylene/propylene-styrene (SEEPS), and combinationsthereof. Examples of commercially available suitable SEBS blockcopolymers for use in the exemplary sealant material include tradedesignated “KRATON G-1651” and “KRATON G-1633” Block Copolymers, both ofwhich are commercially available from Kraton Polymers (Houston, Tex.).Examples of commercially available suitable SR diblock copolymersinclude trade designated “KRATON G-1701” and “KRATON G-1702” BlockCopolymers both of which are commercially available from Kraton Polymers(Houston, Tex.), and “SEPTON S 1020” High Performance ThermoplasticRubber which is commercially available from Kuraray Company (Tokyo,Japan). Exemplary suitable SEPS and SEEPS block copolymers for use inthe exemplary sealant material include trade designated “SEPTON S 4055”or “SEPTON S 4077” High Performance Thermoplastic Rubber which arecommercially available from Kuraray Company (Tokyo, Japan). An exemplarySRS star copolymer is “SEPTON KL-J3341” also available from KurarayCompany (Tokyo, Japan). Additionally, suitable vinyl-rich blockcopolymers for use in the exemplary sealant material include “HYBRAR7125” and “HYBRAR 7311” High Performance Thermoplastic Rubbers, whichare also commercially available from Kuraray Company (Tokyo, Japan). Asuitable maximum concentration of the block copolymer in the gel sealantmaterial is about 30% by weight, based on the entire weight of gelsealant material.

Other additives which may be added to the exemplary gel sealing materialof the current invention can include cure catalysts, stabilizers,antioxidants, biocides, colorants (e.g. carbon black, talc, otherpigments, or dyes), thermally conductive fillers, radiation absorbers,flame retardants, etc. Suitable stabilizers and antioxidants includephenols, phosphites, phosphorites, thiosynergists, amines, benzoates,and combinations thereof. Suitable commercially available phenolic-basedantioxidants include trade designated “IRGANOX 1035”, “IRGANOX 1010”,and “IRGANOX 1076” Antioxidants and Heat Stabilizers for wire and cableapplications, commercially available from Ciba Specialty Chemicals Corp.(Tarrytown, N.Y.) and vitamin E based antioxidants such asa-tochopherol, commercially available from Sigma-Aldritch (St. Louis,Mo.). A suitable maximum concentration of stabilizers or antioxidants inthe gel sealant material is about 1% by weight, based on the entireweight of the gel sealant material. When forming the gel sealantmaterial, stabilizers and antioxidants may be dissolved or dispersed inthe mineral oil prior to combining the diblock copolymer with themineral oil.

The gel sealant material can be melted and coated onto the fabric-facedneoprene sheet (item number 201400BN available from Perfectex plus LLC,Huntington Beach, Calif.). In one exemplary aspect, the gel sealant is amixture of 5% Kraton G1633 in Kaydol oil, with 0.2% Irganox 1010antioxidant. The sealant material can be melted in a hot melt dispenserthat has a reservoir temperature of about 170° C. to about 180° C. Themelted sealant material is dispensed onto the sheet sealing member andcoated to the desired thickness via a standard knife coating technique.Alternatively, extrusion overcoating, or other standard hot melt coatingtechniques may be used. The resulting sheets of material can be cut tothe desired size after the sheet sealing member has been coated with thegel sealant material. In an alternative aspect, the sheet sealing membercan be cut to size prior to application of the gel sealant material. Inone alternative method, the cut sheet of the sheet sealing member can beinserted into a mold and the gel sealant material can be injected underpressure.

In an alternative aspect, the gel sealant is a mixture of 9% KratonG1651 in Kaydol oil with 0.2% Irganox 1010 antioxidant and a traceamount (0.002%) of Raven 660R Carbon Black available from ColombianChemicals Company (Marietta, Ga.). In another alternative aspect, thegel sealant is a mixture of about 5% Septon S4055 in Kaydol oil with0.2% Irganox 1010 antioxidant and a trace amount (0.002%) of Raven 660RCarbon Black. In another alternative aspect, the gel sealant is amixture of about 9% Kraton G1651 in Crystal Plus 500T oil, with 0.2%Irganox 1010 antioxidant and Raven 1200 Carbon Black available fromColombian Chemicals Company (Marietta, Ga.). In another alternativeaspect, the gel sealant is a mixture of about 5% Kraton G1633 in CrystalPlus 500T oil, with 0.2% Irganox 1010 antioxidant. While in anotheralternative aspect, the gel sealant is a mixture of about 5% SeptonS4055 in Crystal Plus 350T oil, with 0.2% Irganox 1010 antioxidant and atrace amount (0.002%) of Raven 660R Carbon Black. While yet anotheralternative gel sealant mixture includes of about 9% Septon S4077 inCrystal Plus 350T oil, with 0.2% Irganox 1010 antioxidant. Anotherexemplary gel sealant mixture includes 90.8% DuoPrime 500, 9% KratonG1651 and 0.2% α-tochopherol. Yet another exemplary gel sealant mixtureincludes 90.5% DuoPrime 500, 9% Kraton G1651 and 0.5% α-tochopherol. Itshould be noted that the optimal process conditions of the gel sealantmaterial may change based on the selected formulation, but should beeasily derivable from the material properties and through routineexperimentation.

The gel sealant material can be coated in to yield a final thickness ofthe gel sealant material of about 1.5 mm to about 5 mm thick on thesheet sealing member. In an exemplary aspect, the gel sealant materialcan be coated in an approximately 3 mm thick layer on the neoprene. Thethickness of the gel sealant materials can be altered depending on theconfiguration of the enclosure and cable connection to be protected.

In an alternative aspect shown in FIG. 17, the sealing member 110′ canbe a sheet sealing member 112′ including a layer of gel sealant material114′ coated on one of an elastomeric sheet and a volume compliant sheet.Sealing member 110′ can include gel nubs 113′ which extend from theexposed surface of the gel sealant material. The gel nubs provide anextra amount of gel in critical sealing regions such as the exposedtriple points where the two surfaces of the gel sealant material contacteach other and the surface of the cable connection at either end of theexemplary enclosure. In an alternative aspect, the sealing material canhave a gel ridge (not shown) extending along each longitudinal edge ofthe sealing member to provide an extra amount of gel along thelongitudinal seam of the sealing member when it is closed around a cableconnection.

The outer shell 140 of the enclosure is shown in detail in FIGS. 3A and3B. The outer shell imparts a radial compressive load to at least aportion of the inner shell. To accomplish this, the outer shell closelyfits over at least a portion the inner shell. In a first embodimentshown in FIGS. 1A-1B and 3A-3B, the outer shell 140 is configured toclosely fit over the inner shell 120 along a substantial portion of theinner shell. This provides a controlled and constant radial compressiveforce to the inner shell to create an environmental seal around thecable connection housed in enclosure 100.

Outer shell 140 can be a semi-rigid or rigid member that includes anopening 145 along the entire length of one side of the outer shell topermit clearance for the cable to be inserted into the outer shell asshown in FIGS. 3A and 3B. Alternatively, a cable to be connected can bethreaded through a contiguous outer shell (i.e. no opening) prior tobeing connected to another cable housing or piece of equipment. Thenonce the connection is made and the inner shell in place, the contiguousouter shell can be slid over the inner shell to provide the radialcompression needed to ensure an environmental seal around the cableconnection. In one exemplary aspect, sealing member 110 is compressedfrom about 20% to about 65% at critical points in the enclosure, such asaround the perimeter of the cable at the first and second ends of theenclosure and along the longitudinal seam of the inner shell. In analternative aspect, the gel sealant material is compressed by about fromabout 40% to about 50%. The outer shell 140, when proper compression isachieved, can be locked in place with latch arms 130 provided as anintegral part of the inner shell 120 as shown in FIG. 1B. The outershell can be removed by the deflection of the latch arms to inspect orconduct maintenance of the cable connection and reapplied when theoperation is complete.

Outer shell 140 can include a beveled entry region 143 at the first end142 and/or the second end 144 of the outer shell to facilitate slidingthe outer shell over the inner shell during installation of theenclosure as shown in FIG. 3A. Outer shell 140 can also include a track146 to accommodate hinge 128 (shown in FIGS. 1A and 2A) on the innershell 120 as required by the design of the inner shell. Alternatively,the outer shell can also include one or more tracks to accommodate theseam(s) where the inner shell meets itself to form a seal as will bedescribed in additional detail with respect to FIG. 9.

Additionally, the outer shell 140 can include one or more strengtheningribs disposed either longitudinally or circumferentially along theexterior surface of the outer shell. FIGS. 3A and 3B show a singlecircumferential strengthening rib 148 disposed near the first end 142 ofouter shell 140. In addition, circumferential strengthening rib 148 canbe used as a gripping surface to facilitate removal of the outer shellduring inspection or maintenance of the cable connection containedwithin the enclosure.

FIG. 3B is a view of the outer shell from the first end 142 thereof.Outer shell can have a plurality of internal projections or flexiblefins 149 disposed near the first end of the outer shell and extendingfrom the interior surface of the outer shell. When the outer shell hasbeen placed on the cable prior to assembling the enclosure or when ithas been removed from the inner shell for inspection or maintenanceprocedures, the flexible fins 149 press against the sheath of the cablepassing through the outer shell to keep the outer shell from slidingdown or falling off the cable. This is especially important in aerialapplications such as installations on antenna connections on cellulartowers or other connections on vertical run lengths of cables.

Inner shell 120 and outer shell 140 can be made by various processes,for example, injection molding, blow molding, spin molding, extrusionmolding, vacuum molding, rotational molding, and thermal forming.Embodiments of the inner shell and outer shell can be made from variousmaterials, for example, aluminum, steel, metal alloys, and plastics,particularly injection molded thermoplastics, such as polyolefins,polyamides, polycarbonates, polyesters, polyvinyls, and other polymericmaterials. Typical thermoplastics materials usable for the inner shellinclude polyamides (Nylon® 12, Nylon® 6,6, etc), polyolefins (forexample, polyethylene (PE), polypropylene (PP) such as Slovalen PH91Navailable from Plastcom (Hallalova, Bratislava), Slovak Republic, Profax8523 available from LyondellBasel (Rotterdam, Netherlands), and BorsoftSG220MO available from Borealis (Linz, Austria), and polybutylene (PB)),vinyl acetate, poly ethers, polysulfones, polystyrenes,polyvinylchloride (PVC), and copolymers and blends thereof. Typicalmaterials usable for the outershell include filled and unfilledthermoplastic and thermoset materials, including polyolefins (forexample, polyethylene (PE), polypropylene (PP) and polybutylene (PB)),vinyl acetate, polycarbonate, poly ethers, polysulfones, polystyrenes,PVC, diene rubbers, acrylonitrile butadiene styrene (ABS), polyamides,polybutadiene, polyether block amide (PEBA), polyetherimide, polyimide,polyurea, polyurethane (PUR), silicone, vinyl ester resins, phenolicresins, melamine and urea formaldehyde resins, fluorinated resins (e.g.PTFE) PEEK, polyesters, (polybutylphthalate, PET, etc.) and copolymersand blends thereof. Exemplary polycarbonate/polybutylphthalate blendsthat can be used to make the outer shell are Xenoy x4820 or Valox® 533which are available from SABIC Innovative Plastics (Pittsfield, Mass.).In an alternative aspect, the outer shell can be made of apolyetherimide resin such as Ultem 1010 polyetherimide available fromSABIC Innovative Plastics (Pittsfield, Mass.). In yet another exemplaryaspect, the outer shell can be made of a semi-crystalline thermoplasticpolyester such as Ertalyte® PET-P available from Quadrant (Johannesburg,South Africa).

FIGS. 4A-4B show a second embodiment of an exemplary enclosure 200 forprotecting a cable connection in an exploded and assembled condition,respectively. FIG. 4C shows a top view of enclosure 200 in an assembledstate around a cable connection and FIG. 4D shows a cross sectional viewof enclosure 200 in an assembled state around a cable connection.Enclosure 200 includes three parts: an inner shell 220, an outer shell240, and sealing member 210 which can be disposed within the innershell.

The inner shell 220 is effectively a holder for sealing member 210. Theouter shell 240 can be placed over the inner shell to impart a radialcompressive load to the inner shell. This radial load presses thesealing member into contact with the cable(s) and connector therebycreating an environmental seal. The outer shell, when proper compressionis achieved, can be locked in place with latch arms 230 provided as anintegral part of the inner shell 220. The outer shell can be removed bythe deflection of the latch arms to inspect or conduct maintenance ofthe cable connection and reapplied when the operation is complete.

In an exemplary aspect shown in FIG. 4A, the inner shell 220 includes asingle shell portion 225 that can enclose a cable connection when theinner shell is enclosed within outer shell 240.

As previously mentioned, the inner shell 220 is effectively a holder forsealing member 210. The sealing member can be attached to the innershell by a series of posts projecting from the exterior surface of theinner shell along two longitudinal edges 227 a, 227 b of the innershell. The posts mate with a series of holes 218 (FIG. 4B). In oneexemplary aspect the posts 229 can have a slight mushroom shape suchthat the head of the post is slightly larger than the diameter of theshank of the post. The holes through sealing member should be slightlysmaller than the diameter of the head of the post so that the sealingmember is retained by the posts.

Inner shell 220 can include structural features that create “pressurepoints” at or near critical sealing locations. In FIGS. 4A and 4D, thestructural features are in the form of segmented pressure ridges 232,234 disposed at the first end 222 and the second end 224, respectively,of inner shell 220. The segmented pressure ridges can be separated bygaps 233 which will enhance the flexibility of the inner shell. Thesegmented pressure ridges 234 help ensure adequate sealing at keylocations around the perimeter of cables, device receptacles or housinginlets.

In one exemplary embodiment, the sealing member 210 can be a sheetsealing member including a gel sealant material coated on one of anelastomeric sheet and a volume compliant sheet as described previously.In an alternative aspect the sealing member can be an unsupported gelsealant material which can be directly disposed against the interiorsurface of the inner shell in a sufficient thickness to fill any airgaps around the cable connection being protected by the enclosure. Inyet another aspect the unsupported gel material can be provided aroundthe perimeter of the inner shell to provide an environmental barrier atthese critical locations. In this latter embodiment, the inner shellitself provides a portion of the water barrier function.

The outer shell 240 can be a semi-rigid or rigid member that includes anopening 245 along the entire length of one side of the outer shell topermit clearance for the cable 10 to be inserted into the outer shell asshown in FIGS. 4A-4C. Alternatively, a cable to be connected can bethreaded through a contiguous outer shell (i.e. no opening) prior tobeing connected to another cable housing or piece of equipment. Thenonce the connection is made and the inner shell in place, the contiguousouter shell can be slid over the inner shell to provide the radialcompression needed to ensure an environmental seal around the cableconnection. The outer shell 240, when proper compression is achieved,can be locked in place with latch arms 230 provided as an integral partof the inner shell 220 as shown in FIGS. 4A and 4B. The outer shell canbe removed by the deflection of the latch arms to inspect or conductmaintenance of the cable connection and reapplied when the operation iscomplete.

Outer shell 240 can include a beveled entry region 243 at the first end242 and/or the second end 244 of the outer shell to facilitate slidingthe outer shell over the inner shell during installation of theenclosure.

Additionally, the outer shell 240 can include one or more strengtheningribs disposed either longitudinally or circumferentially along theexterior surface of the outer shell. FIGS. 4A and 4B show the outershell having a circumferential strengthening rib 248 a disposed near thefirst end 242 of outer shell and a longitudinal strengthening rib 248 bdisposed opposite opening 245 in the outer shell. In addition,circumferential strengthening rib 248 a can be used as a grippingsurface to facilitate removal of the outer shell during inspection ormaintenance of the cable connection contained within the enclosure.

FIGS. 4C and 4D show two views of enclosure 200 in an assembledcondition around a cable connection, in particular a connection betweena cable 10 and a receptacle 70 in the wall 90 of a housing. The cable isterminated with a connector 50 configured to mate with the receptacle 70in the wall of a housing. FIG. 4D shows how the sealing member conformsroughly to the surface of the cable connection. The segmented pressureridges 232, 234 of the inner shell 220 press and compress the sealingmember against the cable and the receptacle in the wall of the housing,respectively. Additional pressure ridges can be added to the inner shellto increase the degree of contact between the sealing member and thecable connection if desired.

FIGS. 5A-5C show how the enclosure is placed around a cable connection,in particular a connection 5 between a cable 10 and a receptacle 70 inthe wall (not shown) of a housing. The cable connection 5 is positionedin shell portion 125 b of inner shell 120 and pressed against sealingmember 110. Shell portion 125 a is rotated about the pivot axis of hinge128 to close the inner shell as shown by arrow 99 in FIG. 5A forming aseam 239 the second longitudinal edges or flanges of the inner shell. Atemporary securing device or clasp 133 can be attached to the flanges129 of inner shell 120 to keep the inner shell closed until the outershell can be positioned over the inner shell. This is especiallyadvantageous in high density cable connection installations in which itmay be desirable to place the inner shell around all of the adjacentcable connections before positioning the outer shells over theirrespective inner shells to complete the assembly of the enclosures.

The outer shell 140 is positioned over cable 10 by sliding the cablethrough opening 145 in the outer shell as shown in FIG. 5B.Alternatively, the outer shell can be positioned around the cable priorto placing the cable connection in the inner shell. Internal projectionsor flexible fins (149 in FIG. 3B) extending from the interior surface ofthe outer shell can press against the sheath of the cable passingthrough the outer shell to keep the outer shell from sliding down thecable while the inner shell is positioned around the cable connection.

The outer shell 140 is slid over the inner shell as shown by arrow 98 inFIG. 5B until latch arms 130 engage with first end of the outer shell tocomplete the installation of enclosure 100 as shown in FIG. 5C.

The outer shell can be removed by the deflection of the latch arms asshown by arrows 97 in FIG. 5C to inspect or conduct maintenance of thecable connection and reapplied when the operation is complete. The innershell can be opened to reveal the cable connection 5.

FIG. 7 shows a third embodiment of an exemplary enclosure 300 forprotecting a cable connection in an exploded and assembled condition,respectively. Enclosure 300 includes three parts: an inner shell 320, anouter shell 340, and two sealing members 310 a, 310 b which can bedisposed within the inner shell.

In the exemplary aspect shown in FIG. 7, the inner shell 320 can includetwo separate shell portions 325 a, 325 b that can enclose a cableconnection when the two shell portions are assembled together. As one ofthe primary functions of the inner shell 320 is effectively a holder forsealing members, sealing member 310 a can be attached to shell portion325 a and sealing member 310 b can be attached to shell portion 325 b.Attachment methods for the sealing members 310 a, 310 b to shellportions 325 a, 325 b, respectively, of inner shell 320 can includeadhesive bonding, thermal welding, clamping, taping, sewing, stapling,mechanically connecting, and molding in-place. In an alternativeembodiment, the sealing member may be directly attached to the innerwall of the inner shell.

The outer shell 340 can be placed over the inner shell to impart aradial compressive load to the inner shell. This radial load presses thesealing member into contact with the cable(s) and connector therebycreating an environmental seal.

In an exemplary aspect shown in FIG. 7, the inner shell 320 can includetwo shell portions 325 a, 325 b that can enclose a cable connection whenthe two shell portions are assembled together. The shell portions 325 a,325 b can have first flanges 328 a, 328 b extending perpendicular to thefirst two longitudinal edges 326 a, 326 b of the shell portions,respectively and can have second flanges 329 a, 329 b flanges extendingperpendicular to the second two longitudinal edges 327 a, 327 b of theshell portions, respectively.

Inner shell 320 can include structural features that create “pressurepoints” at or near critical sealing locations. The structural featuresare in the form of pressure ridges 334 a, 334 b disposed at the firstend 322 (not shown) and the second end 324, respectively, of shellportions 325 a, 325 b, respectively. Pressure ridges 334 a, 334 b helpensure adequate sealing at key locations around the perimeter of cables,device receptacles or housing inlets.

Sealing members 310 a, 310 b of the present embodiment can be sheetsealing members including a gel sealant material coated on one of anelastomeric sheet and a volume compliant sheet as previously described.In an alternative aspect the sealing member can be an unsupported gelsealant material which can be directly disposed against the interiorsurface of the inner shell in a sufficient thickness to fill any airgaps around the cable connection being protected by the enclosure. Inyet another aspect the unsupported gel material can be provided aroundthe perimeter of the inner shell to provide an environmental barrier atthese critical locations.

The outer shell 340 can be a semi-rigid or rigid member that includes apair of tracks 346 a, 346 b that engage with the first and secondflanges 328 a, 328 b and 329 a, 329 b on shell portions 325 a, 325 b ofinner shell 320 to secure the inner shell in a closed state. The outershell 340 can be threaded onto a cable prior to being connected toanother cable housing or piece of equipment. Then once the cableconnection is made and the inner shell in place, outer shell 340 can beslid over the inner shell to secure the inner shell in a closed stateand to create an environmental seal around the cable connection.

FIG. 8 shows the exemplary enclosure 100 assembled around a cableconnection between two cables. In the aspect shown in FIG. 8, the cableconnection is between two cables having different diameters, a smalldiameter cable 10 and a large diameter cable 15. In this aspect, theprofiles of the inner shell 120 and the outer shell 140 have a taperedshape. In an alternative aspect, the cables could be of the samediameter in which case a cylindrical profile may be preferred.

FIG. 10 shows another embodiment of an exemplary enclosure 900 forprotecting a cable connection which is illustrated in an assembledcondition, respectively. Enclosure 900 includes three parts: an innershell 920, an outer shell 940, and sealing member (not shown) which canbe disposed within the inner shell. FIG. 11 shows an exemplary view ofouter shell 940 and FIGS. 12A and 12B show two exemplary views of innershell 920.

Outer shell 940 can be a semi-rigid or rigid member that includes anopening 945 along the entire length of one side of the outer shell topermit clearance for the cable to be inserted into the outer shell.Outer shell 940 can additionally include one or more external ribs 941to reinforce the outer shell at key locations along the length of theenclosure.

Outer shell 940 can have a plurality of internal projections or profiledfingers 949 disposed near the first end 942 of the outer shell andextending from the interior surface of the outer shell. When the outershell has been placed on the cable prior to assembling the enclosure orwhen it has been removed from the inner shell for inspection ormaintenance procedures, the profiled fingers 949 press against thesheath of the cable passing through the outer shell to keep the outershell from sliding down or falling off the cable. This is especiallyimportant in aerial applications such as installations on antennaconnections on cellular towers or other connections on vertical runlengths of cables.

In an exemplary aspect, the outer shell can further include a pair ofretention nubs 951 located on the second end 944 of longitudinal edges952 of opening 945. The retention nubs narrow the width of opening 945between the nubs and can prevent the outer shell from slipping off thecable once it has been inserted through the opening.

The inner shell 920 is effectively a holder for the sealing member. Theinner shell includes “pressure points”, which will be described inadditional detail below, to ensure adequate sealing at key locationswhen the inner shell and sealing member are placed around a cableconnection.

The outer shell 940 can be placed over the inner shell to impart aradial compressive load to the inner shell. This radial load presses thesealing member into contact with the cable(s) and connector therebycreating an environmental seal. The outer shell can be a rigid memberthat includes an opening along the entire length of one side to permitclearance for the cable to be inserted into the outer shell. The outershell, when proper compression is achieved, can be locked in place witha securing device, such as latch arm 930 which can be provided as anintegral part of the inner shell. Latch arm 930 includes lips 930 a(FIG. 12B) which engage with the first end 942 of outer shell 940 isdisposed over the inner shell as shown in FIG. 10.

Advantageously, exemplary enclosure 900 can be opened to expose thecable connection for inspection or maintenance and then reinstalled overthe connection when the inspection or maintenance is complete. Forexample, outer shell 940 can be removed from the inner shell 920 by thedeflection of latch arm 930. Tab 930 b can be depressed as indicated byarrow 999 to disengage the lips 930 a of latch arm 930 to allow theouter shell to be removed from the inner shell in the direction asindicated by arrow 998 in FIG. 10. Once the outer shell has beenremoved, the inner shell can be opened and the sealing member separatedto reveal the cable connection.

In an exemplary aspect shown in FIGS. 12A and 12B, inner shell 920 caninclude two shell portions 925 a, 925 b that can enclose a cableconnection when the two shell portions are assembled together. The shellportions 925 a, 925 b can be connected by a hinge 928 along a firstlongitudinal edge 926 a, 926 b of each shell portion. Hinge 928 can be aliving hinge or any other conventional low profile hinge structure suchas a barrel hinge. Hinge 928 may extend along the entire firstlongitudinal edges of shell portions, or may extend along only a portionof first longitudinal edges 926 a, 926 b of shell portions 925 a, 925 b,respectively as shown in FIG. 12B. The hinge allows the inner shell tobe opened so that it can be easily placed around the cable connectionand then closed to enclose the cable connection.

As previously mentioned, the inner shell 920 can effectively hold thesealing member (not shown) as previously disclosed. The sealing membercan be attached to the inner shell along the second two longitudinaledges 927 a, 927 b of the inner shell. The sealing member can beattached to the flange by an adhesive, a thermal weld, stitched, or by amechanical fastening system.

FIGS. 13A and 13B are partial schematic end views of the second end 924of inner shell 920 showing the sealing member in a compressed state.FIG. 13B shows how the sealant material seals around a cable 915 andFIG. 13A shows the compression of the sealant material in the absence ofa cable. In an exemplary aspect shown in detail in FIGS. 13A and 13B,the second longitudinal edges can be inclined toward each other suchthat the second longitudinal edges 927 a, 927 b of shell portions 925 a,925 b are further apart close to cable 915 and become closer togetheraway from the cable. Inclining the second two longitudinal edges 927 a,927 b in this way allows the gel sealant material 914 coated on sheetsealing member 912 of sealing member 910 to be pressed inward towardsthe interior of the inner shell as shown in FIG. 13A when the outershell imparts the radial compressive load to the inner shell. Forexample, the sealing member can be compressed by 50% along a linebetween the top of the flanges 929 a, 929 b forming the secondlongitudinal edges 927 a, 927 b (i.e. furthest away from cable 915 inFIG. 13B) and by 45% along a line between the bottom of the flanges 929a, 929 b forming the second longitudinal edges 927 a, 927 b (i.e.nearest to cable 915 in FIG. 13B cable). This differential pressurecauses the gel to be pushed in to the enclosure. This pushing of gelsealant material can provide enhanced sealing of the closure at thetriple point 995 (i.e. the junction of the two interfaces of the sealingmember and the cable) as shown in FIG. 13 B.

As previously described, inner shell 920 can include structural featuresthat create “pressure points” at or near critical sealing locations. InFIG. 12B, the structural features are in the form of pressure ridges932, 934 disposed at the first end 922 and the second end 924,respectively, of inner shell 920. Pressure ridges 932, 934 help ensureadequate sealing at key locations around the perimeter of cables, devicereceptacles or housing inlets.

Inner shell 920 can further include an additional ridge or otherstructure to serve as a nut stop 936. Thus, the nut of the cableconnection will be positioned between pressure ridge 934 and nut stop936 to ensure proper positioning of the cable connection within theexemplary enclosure. The nut stop can be formed around a substantialportion of the circumference of the inner shell as shown in FIG. 12B.Alternatively, the nut stop 1136 can form a discontinuous ring aroundthe inner circumference of the inner shell 1120 as shown in FIG. 16. Nutstops 1136 are ridges formed on the inside surface of shell portions1125 a, 1125 b of inner shell 1120 and extending only a portion of theway around the inside circumference of each shell portion. The exemplaryembodiment shown in FIG. 16 shows a single nut stop disposed in eachshell portion. Alternatively, multiple shorter nut stops may bepositioned in each shell portion around the inner circumference of theinner shell and would be an obvious adaptation that would fall withinthe scope of the current invention.

Referring to FIG. 12A, the inner shell 920 further includes a shell stop935 formed adjacent to the second end of the inner shell and extendingfrom the external surface of the inner shell. Shell stop 935 preventsthe outer shell from being slid too far forward when the outer shell ispositioned over the inner shell.

The inner shell can further include a keying feature 931 which extendsfrom the external surface of the inner shell. The keying feature fitswithin opening 945 in outer shell as shown in FIG. 10. Keying feature931 ensures that the outer shell is disposed in the proper orientationover the inner shell.

A temporary securing device or clasp 933 can be integrally formed alongone of the second longitudinal edges 927 a or 927 b of the inner shell920. The clasp is connected to the second longitudinal edges by a livinghinge. The clasp is designed to temporarily close the inner shell duringinstallation until the outer shell can be positioned over the innershell. This is especially advantageous in high density cable connectioninstallations in which it may be desirable to place the inner shellaround all of the adjacent cable connections before positioning theouter shells over their respective inner shells to complete the assemblyof the enclosures.

Optionally, the inner shell can include a securing feature 937 as shownin FIGS. 12A and 12B. The securing feature can be a hole 937 a formed ina projection 937 b. A cable tie or cable lock can be inserted throughthe securing feature in the inner shell and a corresponding hole (notshown) in the outer shell to secure the inner shell and the outer shelltogether when the outer shell is disposed over the inner shell.

In another exemplary aspect, inner shell can include a plurality ofpressure nubs 938 disposed on the exterior surface of flanges 929 a, 929b to ensure optimal compression on the sealing member along thelongitudinal seam of the inner shell.

In another exemplary aspect the inner shell can include one or moreshims extending from one or both of the flanges 1129 which extendgenerally perpendicularly from the second two longitudinal edges of eachshell portion 1125 a, 1125 b of inner shell 1120 shown in FIG. 16. Theshims can ensure proper positioning of the inner shell within the outershell when the enclosure is assembled over a cable connection. In theexemplary embodiment shown in FIG. 16, the inner shell has two shims1121 extending from flange 1129 b at the first end 1122 and the secondend 1124 of the inner shell. When the shims are placed at the first andsecond ends of the inner shell in this manner, the shims provide theadded advantage of providing a containment surface to concentrate thegel sealing material where it is needed to ensure an adequate level ofenvironmental protection around the cable connection at the ends of theenclosure.

FIGS. 18A and 18B illustrate this enhanced containment. FIGS. 18A and18B show the second end 1124 of inner shell 1120 during the assembly ofan exemplary enclosure 1100. FIG. 18 A shows the inner shell 1120 justprior to closure around cable connection 1190. The inner shell includessealing member 110′ attached to the flanges 1129 by a double sided tapeor transfer adhesive (not shown). The gel nubs 113′ on sealing member110′ are shown just as they contact one another. As the inner shell isclosed around cable connection 1190 in a direction indicated by arrow1199 by moving shell portion 1125 a around living hinge 1128 relative toshell portion 1125 b, the gel nubs are compressed to help fill the gapsand ensure a good seal at the triple point 1195 (FIG. 18B) between theenclosure and the cable connection.

FIG. 18B shows how the sealant material 114′ seals around a cableconnection. Shim 1121 prevents the sealant material from being squeezedout of the top of the seam between the shell portions 1125 a, 1125 b,instead diverting the extra gel provided by the gel nubs toward thecable connection to ensure the seal at the triple point 1195.

FIG. 14 is an isometric view of another exemplary outer shell 1040 thatcan be fitted over any of the previously described inner shells inaccordance with the inventive enclosure described herein. Outer shell1040 includes two pair of retention nubs 1051 located on the second end1044 of longitudinal edges 1052 of opening 1045 and separated byindentions 1053. The retention nubs narrow the width of opening 1045between the retention nubs and can prevent the outer shell from slippingoff the cable once it has been inserted through the opening. Duringinstallation of the exemplary enclosure, outer shell 1040 can beinclined at an angle relative to cable 15 such that the cable engagesfirst with the second end 1044 of the outer shell. When the cable slipspast the first nub 1051 nearest the second end of the outer shell suchthat it resides between indentions 1053, the outer shell can be releaseand will be held on the cable as shown in FIG. 15. The combination ofthe two pairs of retention nubs and the indentations form a securingdevice to temporarily grip the cable in the indentions between the twopairs of retention nubs to prevent the outer shell from slipping downthe cable while the inner shell is installed around the cableconnection. Once the inner shell is in place over the cable connectionthe outer shell can be pushed toward the cable allowing the cable tocompletely pass through opening 1045 and be slid up and over the innershell until the outer shell is secured in place.

FIG. 9 shows an end view of an equipment housing 800 with a plurality ofcable connections, which are represented by the ends of cables 10 shownin the figure, that extend through an end wall 890 of the equipmenthousing. The cables connections are protected by several additionalembodiments of exemplary enclosures 400, 500, 600. The outer shells 440,540, 640 of enclosures 400, 500, 600 can be locked in place over theinner shells 420, 520, 620 with a securing device, such as latch arms430, 530, 630 provided as an integral part of the inner shells. Outershells 440, 540, 640 have been designed to protect the hinge and/or theseam, such as seam 239 shown in FIG. 5B, that is formed between thesecond longitudinal edges or flanges of the inner shell when the innershell is placed in a closed position. By adding tracks in the outershells the seam and/or the hinge will be protected within the outershell.

The inventive enclosures described herein can be used to protect closelypacked cable connections. In an exemplary aspect, the inventiveenclosures can be utilized to protect cable connections that have a 50mm center to center spacing. In an alternative aspect, the inventiveenclosures can be used to protect adjacent cable connections which areabout 6 mm apart. In an alternative aspect, the exemplary enclosure canbe used to protect a cable connection that is positioned within about 3mm of a bulkhead, motor or other obstruction disposed on the outside ofthe equipment enclosure.

For example, the outer shell 440 of enclosure 400 has one large track447 to accommodate the seam between the flanges 429 of inner shell 420and a smaller track 448 to accommodate the living hinge 428 joining theshell portions of inner shell 420. Each track can extend the length ofthe outer shell and can be disposed at an angle of approximately +/−90°from the opening running the length of the shell. The inner shell can beinserted within the outer shell in the orientation shown in the figure.

To enhance the flexibility of the design, the outer shell 540 ofenclosure 500 has two large tracks 547, 548 to accommodate the seambetween the flanges 529 of inner shell 520 and the hinge 528 joining theshell portions of inner shell 520. Each track can extend the length ofthe outer shell and can be disposed at an angle of approximately +/−90°from the opening running the length of the shell. The larger track sizecan accommodate a larger hinge structure or allow the inner shell to beplaced within the outer shell in one of two positions as shown in FIG.9.

Also shown in FIG. 9 is the outer shell 640 of enclosure 600 that hasone large track 647 to accommodate the seam between the flanges 629 ofinner shell 620. The track can extend the length of the outer shell andcan be disposed at an angle of approximately 180° from the openingrunning the length of the shell. The hinge 628 of the inner shell can beaccommodated within the opening that runs the length of the outer shell640.

Although specific embodiments have been illustrated and describedherein, it will be appreciated by those of ordinary skill in the artthat a variety of alternate and/or equivalent implementations may besubstituted for the specific embodiments shown and described withoutdeparting from the scope of the present invention. This application isintended to cover any adaptations or variations of the specificembodiments discussed herein. Therefore, it is intended that thisinvention be limited only by the claims and the equivalents thereof.

What is claimed is:
 1. An enclosure for protecting a cable connection,the enclosure comprising: a sheet sealing member attached to an innershell along two longitudinal edges of the inner shell such that thesheet sealing member is contained within the inner shell when the innershell is secured around the cable connection and a rigid outer shellthat longitudinally slides over and engages with the inner shell,wherein the outer shell has an opening extending along its entire lengthon one side to permit clearance and insertion of a connected cable to beinserted into the outer shell, wherein the inner shell further comprisesa keying feature extending from the external surface of the inner shell,the keying feature fitted within the opening to ensure that the outershell is disposed in the proper orientation over the inner shell,wherein the inner shell further comprises pressure ridges formed on theinterior surface of the inner shell to ensure adequate sealing at keylocations around the cable connection.
 2. The enclosure of claim 1,wherein the inner shell has an external topography defining an innershell profile and wherein the outer shell has an internal topographydefining an outer shell profile wherein the outer shell profile issimilar to the inner shell profile.
 3. The enclosure of claim 2, whereinthe inner shell has a tapered inner shell profile having a firstdiameter at a first end of the inner shell and a second larger diameterat the second end of the inner shell.
 4. The enclosure of claim 1,wherein the inner shell is composed of two shell portions.
 5. Theenclosure of claim 4, wherein the shell portions are connected by ahinge along one longitudinal edge of each shell portion.
 6. Theenclosure of claim 1, further comprising at least one latch arm formedintegrally at the first end of the inner shell to secure the outer shellin place over the inner shell.
 7. The enclosure of claim 6, wherein thelatch arm includes lips which engage with a first end of the outershell, when the outer shell is disposed over the inner shell.
 8. Theenclosure of claim 1, further comprising one or more strengthening ribsdisposed on the exterior surface of the outer shell.
 9. The enclosure ofclaim 1, further comprising at least one temporary securing deviceextending from an interior surface near a first end of the outer shell,wherein the one temporary securing device comprises a plurality ofinternal projections that can press against the sheath of the cableprior to installation over the inner shell to keep the outer shell fromfalling off the cable.
 10. The enclosure of claim 1, wherein the sheetsealing member comprises a gel sealant material coated on one of anelastomeric sheet and a volume compliant sheet.
 11. The enclosure ofclaim 10, wherein the gel sealant material comprises an oil swollen,cross-linked polymer network.
 12. The enclosure of claim 1, wherein theinner shell further comprises a shell stop extending from the externalsurface at a second end of the inner shell to prevent the outer shellfrom sliding too far forward when the outer shell is positioned over theinner shell.
 13. The enclosure of claim 1, wherein the outer shellimparts a radial compressive load to the inner shell when the outershell is placed over the inner shell.
 14. The enclosure of claim 1,wherein the inner shell further comprises a clasp integrally formedalong one of the two longitudinal edges of the inner shell totemporarily close the inner shell until the outer shell is positionedover the inner shell.
 15. An enclosure for protecting a cableconnection, the enclosure comprising: a sheet sealing member attached toan inner shell along two longitudinal edges of the inner shell such thatthe sheet sealing member is contained within the inner shell when theinner shell is secured around the cable connection and a rigid outershell that longitudinally slides over and engages with the inner shell,wherein the outer shell has an opening extending along its entire lengthon one side to permit clearance and insertion of a connected cable to beinserted into the outer shell, wherein the inner shell further comprisesa keying feature extending from the external surface of the inner shell,the keying feature fitted within the opening to ensure that the outershell is disposed in the proper orientation over the inner shell,wherein the inner shell further comprises at least one latch arm formedintegrally at the first end of the inner shell to secure the outer shellin place over the inner shell, and wherein the latch arm includes lipswhich engage with a first end of the outer shell, when the outer shellis disposed over the inner shell.
 16. The enclosure of claim 15, whereinthe sheet sealing member comprises a gel sealant material coated on oneof an elastomeric sheet and a volume compliant sheet.
 17. The enclosureof claim 15, wherein the outer shell imparts a radial compressive loadto the inner shell when the outer shell is placed over the inner shell.18. An enclosure for protecting a cable connection, the enclosurecomprising: a sheet sealing member attached to an inner shell along twolongitudinal edges of the inner shell such that the sheet sealing memberis contained within the inner shell when the inner shell is securedaround the cable connection and a rigid outer shell that longitudinallyslides over and engages with the inner shell, wherein the outer shellhas an opening extending along its entire length on one side to permitclearance and insertion of a connected cable to be inserted into theouter shell, wherein the inner shell further comprises a keying featureextending from the external surface of the inner shell, the keyingfeature fitted within the opening to ensure that the outer shell isdisposed in the proper orientation over the inner shell, wherein theinner shell further comprises a shell stop extending from the externalsurface at a second end of the inner shell to prevent the outer shellfrom sliding too far forward when the outer shell is positioned over theinner shell.
 19. The enclosure of claim 18, wherein the sheet sealingmember comprises a gel sealant material coated on one of an elastomericsheet and a volume compliant sheet.
 20. The enclosure of claim 18,wherein the outer shell imparts a radial compressive load to the innershell when the outer shell is placed over the inner shell.